First New Legends Announced

Mills, Binford, Schulz, to Join Mondesi, Arteaga, Starling, Gallagher In Lexington

MAR 28^th, 2013-The roster for Kansas City's newest affiliate is starting to take form.

RHPs Alec Mills and Christian Binford, along with LHP Clayton Schulz, are officially on the roster for Class A Lexington to start the 2013 season.

They will likely be joined by SS Adalberto Mondesi and 2B Humberto Arteaga, and top KC prospect and outfielder Bubba Starling is confirmed to be bringing his considerable glove and bat to The Bank, as well as C prospect Cameron Gallagher. 

All of these players, with the exception of Schulz, I've mentioned in my previous “What To Expect” posts as possibilities to join the Legends, and there are more to come. 

A little info on Schulz, and a little more on Mills:

Alec Mills, RHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: November 30^th, 1991 in Clarksville, TN

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 185

Drafted: by the KC Royals, 22^nd round, 2012 MLB Draft from UT-Martin (Martin, TN)

2012:

1-4, 4.62 ERA, 17 games, 7 starts, 4 games finished, 3 saves, 50 2/3 IP, 58 hits allowed, 26 ER, 17 BB, 50 K, 9 WP

Here's some earlier info on Mills from a previous post. 

While with UT Martin in 2012 Mills led the team in innings pitched (89) and strikeouts (74). He already throws an excellent changeup, a slider with late break and a fastball which sits in the low-90's. Mills was also strong in the academic department; he carried a 3.18 GPA as a Health and Human Performance exercise science major. What his coaches (and scouts) also noticed about Mills while on the mound is that he always kept a cool demeanor, never seemed shaken regardless of the circumstances. He also had a reputation for being ready to help new teammates and demonstrated strong leadership skills in the clubhouse. Given his reputation, it would be interesting to see if he also steps into that role while with the Legends.

Clayton Schulz, LHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: June 7, 1990 in West Palm Beach, FL

Bats: Left Throws: Left

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 180

Drafted: by the KC Royals as a non-drafted free agent; August 8^th, 2011, from the University of North Florida

2012:

5-7, 6.07 ERA, 14 games, 13 starts, 69 2/3 IP, 89 hits allowed, 47 ER, 30 BB, 61 K, 17 WP

In his second year of rookie ball, Schulz had quite a few rough patches. His control has been a significant issue, as he walked 30 and uncorked 17 wild pitches in his 69-plus innings, but he averaged nearly a strikeout per inning as well. Schulz is quite the surfer, and in 2010 he was attacked and bitten by a shark. The bite required an astounding 400 stitches to close. He recovered from the attack to post a 3.34 ERA in 35 innings in 2011. A groundball pitcher, he will be playing his first games in Class A, this year. 

New Year, New Players, New Organization...Same Goals

Skirting Line Between Making Friends and Keeping Distance Not Always Easy


MAR 20th, 2013-Pro ball in Lexington will be back in full swing, very soon.

Before you know it, The Bank will be buzzing once more. Gates will open, ticket offices will be bustling with activity, concession stands will be serving up dogs and beers, and the ushers will take their positions. Fans will start filing in, greeting friends from seasons past and meeting new friends for seasons to come.

Here in Lexington, Kansas City's newest Class A representative in the South Atlantic League, there will be something noticeably absent from the year before:

Our boys.

Now that we're a part of the Royals' organization, the kids we knew from Houston's farm system won't be around anymore. There are new players to meet, new personalities, new lives of which we will be a small part. These players will be dealing with the same pressures on the field and off as the baby 'Stros, and thankfully our Booster Club and host parents will be there to help them along. We have a pretty good system  for that sort of thing, and some of our locals go to great lengths to make sure the guys have whatever they need while they're fighting to make their way beyond The Sally and up the ladder.

In 2012, I was exposed to some new experiences that I hadn't fully considered in my 24 years as a baseball fan. Perhaps the most memorable, sadly, was the most educational: the demotion.

If you speak to a player long enough, and they loosen up and tell you a bit more about themselves beyond batting averages and ERAs, you come to feel a personal connection with that player. Over time, you might even become friends. At that point, you are bound to that player just as you would be to any other friends you may have, and this means you're going to be thrilled when they do well. It also means you're going to be sad when they don't.

And when they get demoted, or even worse, cut, you're going to feel like someone punched you in the gut.

It honestly caught me off-guard. I was there when a few of the guys heard the news. RHP Tanner Bushue hadn't heard it yet, but he knew it was coming. He was coming off a shaky outing the same day the host families and Booster Club had their (monthly?) potluck gathering, when the boosters and hosts got to share a meal with their players. Tanner was sitting adjacent to me. I didn't know him very well, admittedly.

Still, it's a strange feeling to be on the outside looking in when one of these kids gets sent down; you're not a part of what's happening, and yet you are. From my perspective, Tanner had an expression on his face that is hard to describe. In short, he was crushed. There was no mistaking it. Here he was, surrounded by teammates and host families, all happily chatting away, and Tanner was somehow separate and alone from all of it. He just sat silently, staring at the empty space on the table in front of him, completely still. I wanted to say something to him, try to cheer him up, but you can't say anything to a player who's been sent down. Nothing that would help, anyway. All you can do is be there, if they want to talk about it. Some of them actually want to talk about it; others, like Tanner, not so much.

I know I'm not the only one who's ever felt that personal connection with a player; I was part of the Booster Club and a host for several players, last year, and I was on the periphery of their social circles. I interacted with some more than others, and for that experience I consider myself fortunate to have known them. I wasn't exactly best friends with any of them, and rightly so. After all, none of them knew who I was before they came to Lexington, and some players have a sense of apprehension from the moment they become professionals. Also, as it should be.

Thing is, every pro athlete knows that their career could end anytime. A torn labrum, serious knee injury, an unexplained "dead arm", and that's all she wrote. A life-long dream can be ended by the whims of the parent club, without explanation. One day, you're making your way up the ladder; the next, you're sifting through the classified ads. No promotional Day for you at the ballpark, no standing O on the way off the field...in fact, it could be that no one even knows you're gone except for your close friends or family. Not even so much as a "thank you". Just a pink slip and a clubbie waiting to take the athletic tape with your name written on it in Sharpie off the top of what used to be your locker.

There are a LOT of people out there who are looking to take every possible advantage of pro athletes. They see opportunities to gain a player's trust, to work their way into that player's inner circle of trust, and some even become personal representative for the players they seek to exploit. At that stage, the player stands to lose a great deal of money. I have also, unfortunately, seen this happen to a player who IS a friend of mine, and it makes me very mindful of what I say and do regarding the players.

On that subject, many of these guys aren't exactly living out their champagne wishes and caviar dreams, if you know what I mean. For the vast majority of them, the only caviar they ever see might be on a re-run of The Real Housewives of Orange County. These kids are living on far less than minimum wage, struggling to make ends meet while sharing tiny apartments with two or three other guys, even sending a big chunk (if not ALL) of their tiny paychecks back home to help support their families. They truly do make a ton of sacrifices just to have a shot at making The Show, and to have some con man try to screw them out of what little they have is absolutely inexcusable.

OK, I've ranted on that enough. More on that in my next post, courtesy of Arizona Diamondbacks pitching prospect Seth Simmons. Seth has been kind enough to expound on a few pro baller subjects for me, and I'll be posting some of that conversation here at TGOG.

Anyhew, this year we'll be starting the process all over again, with new players, new personalities and a new organization. Different players, but the same goal. Also, the same problems, same struggles, same needs. We need to be ready to help them in any way we can. Thankfully there are some good people here, and I'm grateful that the folks at Lexington are well-prepared to help them.

What To Expect When You're Expecting...Part Trois

MARCH 17th, 2013-I'm pretty sure "trois" is French for "three". Either way, this isn't a linguistics blog. 

Here's a few more players you may expect to see here in Lexington, taking their hacks and dealing on the mound. This is in no particular order (other than alphabetical), and is a mixed list of hitters and pitchers. I'm not the most organized guy in the world, but bear with me anyway. 


Diego Goris, UT, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League); AZL Royals (Rookie, Arizona League)

Born: 12/8/1990 in Santiago, Dominican Republic

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 165

Drafted: Obtained in trade with Pittsburgh Pirates, 2012

2012 (combined stats):

58 games, 246 PA, 41 runs, 14 doubles, 4 triples, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 4 BB, 32 K, .333 BA, .942 OPS

Goris showed a lot of pop at Rookie-level Idaho Falls, last year, and was near the top in the league in batting average as well. One of the most glaring problems here is that he's GOT to learn to take a walk, now and then. Four walks in 246 PA is not gonna cut it, especially as he advances to higher levels. He shows a lot of versatility in the field, as he's played second, short, first, third and left field in his five seasons in pro ball. Short is probably not his best position (34 errors in 102 career games), but he's put in the most time there. He's highly projectable at 6'2", 165, and will probably gain more power as he fills out. I see him as a super-utility guy with a little pop and the occasional steal, playing most of his games either as a corner IF or in left, if he makes the majors.

Carlos Garcia, 2B-SS, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 3/18/1992 in Municipio de Diaz, Venezuela

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6' Wt: 176

Drafted: Signed as Free Agent

2012:

59 games, 241 PA, 42 runs, 8 doubles, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 10 SB, .273 BA, .347 OBP

Garcia intrigues me a bit. First off, he stole 10 bases last year, which is OK, but it should be noted that he swiped 50 in 2010 for the Royals' Dominican Summer League team. He's probably not ever going to hit for power, but the speed is obviously there. He's shown steady improvement with the glove, as well; from 5 errors in 23 games in 2010 to 8 errors in 57 games last year. However, he made an alarming 16 miscues in 39 games in 2011, which is concerning, but I'm willing to accept those numbers as an aberration. There's some projectability there, physically, but he'll likely not gain much more weight than 5-10 pounds at the most. If he does get much heavier than that, it's going to hurt his speed, and his speed is his best asset. Also worth noting: in 212 career games, his BB/K ration is just a few percentage points below 1/1. That's darn good, at any level.

Cory Hall, RHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 5/12/1988 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 232

Drafted: Obtained in trade with Pittsburgh Pirates, 2012

2012:

2-1, 2.15 ERA in 21 games (29 1/3 IP), 23 hits allowed, 7 ER, 12 BB, 35 K, 5 SV

Hall worked exclusively as a closer in 2012, cutting his ERA by more than 3 full runs but walking just as many as he did in 2011 while throwing 6 fewer innings. He has struck out a batter per inning since his pro debut in 2011 but also has averaged 3.7 BB/9 IP, so there's definitely room for improvement there. Hall was all-conference with Santa Clara University in 2011, pitching 105 innings and posting a 3.26 ERA. He was also all-conference with Taft Community College in 2008. Hall is solidly-built and there's no projectability left there, but he is likely to continue to develop as a strikeout artist in relief once he irons out his mechanical issues. 

Joe Lopez, RHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League); AZL Royals (Rookie, Arizona League)

Born: 3/20/1990 in Winkelman, AZ

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 5'10” Wt: 180

Drafted: Signed as NDFA, 2012

2012 (combined stats):

2-2, 3.66 ERA in 21 games, 8 games finished, 3 SV, 39 1/3 IP, 47 HA, 22 RA, 16 ER, 13 BB, 39 K, 8.9 K/9

Lopez worked as a short reliever out of the 'pen in 2012, recording 10.8 hits/9 IP but mitigating his damage considerably (with a little help from his defense). A smallish pitcher, he is nevertheless solidly built. I don't anticipate his size will limit him at the higher levels. Lopez may be a darkhorse candidate to become a 7th inning specialist as he advances to the upper echelons of the minors. 

Alec Mills, RHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 11/30/1991 in Clarksville, TN

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 185

Drafted: KC Royals, 22nd round, 2012 MLB Draft, from U of Tennessee @ Martin

2012:

1-4, 4.62 ERA, 17 games (7 starts, 4 games finished), 3 SV, 50 2/3 IP, 58 HA, 33 RA, 26 ER, 7 HRA, 17 BB, 50 K, 5 HBP, 9 WP, 2.94 SO/BB ratio

Mills is highly projectible at 6'4", 185, but he appeared to have significant mechanical and/or control problems, last year. I say this because, while he only walked 17 batters, he hit 5 more and also uncorked 9 wild pitches in 50 2/3 innings. He may just need a little time to adjust to the pro game, as last year was his first in the pros. He showed great versatility, starting 7 games and closing out 4 more, while working in middle relief in 6 more. While the ERA is much higher than you'd like to see it, he averaged a K per inning and handled being juggled around, role-wise, about as well as anyone could. Also of note: 3.47 ERA in 23 1/3 innings at the home park, 5.60 in 27 1/3 innings in away games. I'll be watching him closely. 

Sam Selman, LHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 11/14/1990 in Austin, TX

Bats: Right Throws: Left

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 165

Drafted: KC Royals, 2nd round, 2012 MLB Draft, from Vanderbilt University

2012:

5-4, 2.09 ERA, 13 games (12 starts), 60 1/3 IP, 45 HA, 21 RA, 14 ER, 22 BB, 89 K, 5 WP

The 2012 Pioneer League Pitcher of The Year, Selman's is a name well-known to many Royals fans, for obvious reasons. In his first year of pro ball, he averaged a monstrous 13.3 K/9 IP while maintaining better than a 4:1 BB/K ratio. A hard-throwing lefty with a lot of room left to grow, he could become a dominant short man or closer in the majors. KC has a great deal of success to look forward to from this young man. Selman may skip Low-A altogether, depending on how his Spring turns out. 

What To Expect When You're Expecting...Part Deux

MARCH 12^th, 2013-There's one thing for Legends fans to keep in mind as Opening Day creeps ever closer. In terms of judging the sort of talent we can expect to see here in Class A, it's the most important detail to consider.

Over the past 7 years, few teams have had a deeper or more talented minor league system than the KC Royals. The latest pool of players is certainly no exception; they only serve to reinforce this growing reputation.

As I mentioned in the last post, the Legends faithful can safely anticipate seeing a talented lineup from top to bottom hitting the field at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, this year and the next. In addition to the aforementioned players, there are still more who will either join them immediately or follow close behind. In this post, I take a quick look at more position players we can expect to see at The Bank:

Hitters

Humberto Arteaga, SS, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 1/23/1994 in Caracas, Venezuela

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 160

Drafted: Signed as Free Agent

2012:

58 games, 262 PA, 40 runs, 64 hits, 13 doubles, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 7 SB, .274 BA, .694 OPS

Arteaga more than held his own in the Appy League last year as an 18 year old, batting .274 against talent slightly older than he. He's rail-thin but highly projectable, and his wiry strentgh and above-average speed allowed him to score 40 runs and even steal a few bags. He couldn't buy a walk, but that's likely due more to youthful impatience than poor pitch selection. He plays within himself and doesn't try to do more with the ball than he's able, and he will probably steal a few more bases as he learns to be a better baserunner. The glove was greatly improved from 2011; where he had made 15 errors at short in 47 games, he cut that number by 6 in 11 more games in a slightly more advanced rookie-level league.

Kenny Diekroger, 2B-SS, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 11/5/1990 in Woodside, California

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 190

Drafted: 4^th round, 2012 MLB Draft, from Stanford University

2012:

52 games, 222 PA, 21 runs, 42 hits, 6 doubles, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 5 SB, 18 BB, 60 SO, .208 BA, .641 OPS

Previously drafted in the 2^nd round by Tampa Bay out of Menlo HS in Atherton, CA, Diekroger struggled mightily in his first year of pro ball. His BA actually climbed from .222 in 36 June AB, as he hit .253 in July. The wheels fell off in August, however, as he hit an anemic .152 for the month. He did bat .258 with RISP, and strangely his average was far higher in road games (.266 on the road vs. .171 at home). He led Stanford in BA as a freshman with a .356 mark and tied for the team lead in RBI with 41, becoming the first freshman to do so. In that season he was named PAC 10 Freshman of the Year and made First Team All-PAC 10, as well. The promise is there, certainly. He appears to have little projectability remaining, physically. He plays a steady second base, and can switch over to the other side of the bag at short, if needed. Will likely stay at second but could move to third in the future. At this early stage, he could prove to be a valuable role-player for Lexington. If he can cut down significantly on the strikeouts he will probably pay bigger dividends in the power department, but this may take some time. David Coleman over at The Crawfish Boxes did a good article on Diekroger which will tell you a lot more about him.

Fred Ford, RF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 4/10/1992 in St. Peters, Missouri

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'5” Wt: 200

Drafted: KC Royals, 7^th Round, 2012 MLB Draft from Jefferson College (Hillsboro, MO)

2012:

62 games, 254 PA, 38 runs, 53 hits, 11 doubles, 13 HR, 35 RBI, 5 SB, 36 BB, 83 SO, .248 BA, .362 OBP, .853 OPS

This is one big dude. The thought with hitters who are as big as Ford is that there's too big a strike zone for them to cover without always racking up a lot of strikeouts, and that may ultimately be the case with Ford. The reason I would argue against that is that, along with the strikeouts (in August he went down on Ks in nearly HALF his ABs), he has shown a great deal of patience and drawn more than enough walks to make you think he can force the pitchers to throw him strikes. With 13 homers and 35 RBI in 62 games, you can see what often happens when they do pitch to him. He is noticeably more athletic, fast and agile than one might first think for a player his size. I'm not so worried about the BA, but Class A pitchers are a bit tougher than Rookie League hurlers, so he may need to adjust on the fly. He may even end up starting the year back in Burlington to work out the kinks, hanging back in extended spring training until the Appy League starts, but I think he'd be better off coming to Lexington to start the year. He's plenty young enough to step back to the Appy, if necessary, and not lose any time development-wise. Either way, Ford draws high marks for his athleticism, strong work ethic and coachability, and by most accounts Kansas City is fortunate to have grabbed him up before he went to another team. Watch this kid.

Cameron Gallagher, C, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 12/6/1992 in Lancaster, PA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 210

Drafted: KC Royals, 2^nd Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Manheim Township HS (Lancaster, PA)

2012:

36 games, 139 PA, 13 runs, 35 hits, 10 doubles, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 10 BB, 16 SO, .276 BA, .331 OBP, .756 OPS

Defense:

212 total chances, 191 PO, 19 assists, 2 errors, 26% caught stealing rate

Here's another intriguing player to add to the mix. The son of former pro pitcher Glenn Gallagher and brother to current Dodgers prospect Austin Gallagher, Cameron has spent time at all three of KC's rookie-level teams and there seems to be little reason to send him back to Burlington this year. The one exception could be his trouble throwing out baserunners. This will improve with time, and he should also develop at least average power for his position. He actually has a good arm; it's more a matter of getting accustomed to the pro game. I wouldn't expect that he'll struggle too mightily with that.

Terrance Gore, OF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 6/8/1991 in Macon, GA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 5'7” Wt: 165

Drafted: KC Royals, 20^th Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Gulf Coast Comm. College (Panama City, FL)

2012:

61 games, 276 PA, 50 runs, 58 hits, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 13 RBI, 36 SB, 36 BB, 52 SO, .256 BA, .379 OBP

Speed is Gore's game, most definitely. Problem is, it doesn't yet seem that there's a whole lot more to his offense than that. Four doubles and 0 homers as a 21 year-old hitter in the Appy League is cause for concern, especially as he advances to face stronger pitching. At his size, his role is as a slap-hitting leadoff type, but if he struggles against better pitching he could likely find himself batting at the bottom of the order, limiting his chances to steal. He already draws a lot of walks and makes the very most of his run-scoring opportunities, and should continue to do so as he climbs the ladder. I'm thinking that, at worst, Gore could be a great bench hitter and late-inning pinch-runner. If he can manage to add a little weight to his 5'7” frame, he could end up being a doubles machine with 25-30 SB annually. That's a good player to have on any team.

Alex Hudak, OF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 4/7/1990 in Mansfield, OH

Bats: Left Throws: Right

Ht: 5'11” Wt: 210

Drafted:

2012:

33 games, 123 PA, 13 runs, 30 hits, 13 doubles, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB, 11 BB, 39 SO, .275 BA, .350 OBP, .722 OPS

I barely know anything about this kid, and I already like him. An excellent student (summa cum laude at Mount Dora HS, 3.3 GPA at FAU as a public communications major), a locker room jokester (quote machine for such movies as Step Brothers and a huge Family Guy fan), and an accomplished amateur player (2^nd Team All-Conference), Hudak is a solid physical specimen with a lightning-quick bat and a hustler's approach on the field. Last season was a fair indication of his potential, as he racked up 13 doubles and reached base at a .350 clip. If he doesn't start the year at Lexington, I can't imagine any reason why he'd be away for long. He strikes me as the kind of player who will do whatever is asked him to put his team in the win column, though his burgeoning power and bat speed will likely put him in a lot of RISP situations. I don't see him being asked to bunt an awful lot, is what I'm saying here.

Mark Threlkeld, 1B, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 5/2/1990 in Riverside, CA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 205

Drafted: KC Royals, 25^th Round, 2011 MLB Draft from Louisiana Tech University (Ruston, LA)

2012:

62 games, 240 PA, 37 runs, 62 hits, 18 doubles, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 15 BB, 40 SO, .283 BA, .333 OBP, .863 OPS

Threlkeld hit .335 with 14 homers and 62 RBI (team-best) as a sophomore in 2010 and made First-Team All-Western Athletic Conference as a result. He made 2^nd-team the next year, leading La. Tech with 71 hits and 45 runs. He graduated from HS as class valedictorian and 1^st-Team All-State, as yet another excellent student-athlete targeted by KC's astute scouting department. Threlkeld projects to have avg-plus power at the higher levels, and while he has already demonstrated solid power numbers he has also managed to keep the strikeouts to a reasonable level. His defense at first base is already strong, and should continue to remain so. The Royals may have found a diamond in the rough in Threlkeld, considering he was a 25^th round pick. 

What To Expect When You're Expecting...A New Affiliation

MARCH 2nd, 2013-With Spring Training just now getting underway, there are certain players who already know where they're heading when the season starts.

However, in Class A ball, it's a little harder to predict.

Kansas City carries three Rookie-level clubs (Burlington, Idaho Falls, plus an AZL team) and a total of eight minor-league teams. Burlington of the Appalachian League is, essentially, the substitute for the fact that KC doesn't have a Short-Season Class A team.

The easiest way to look at predicting Lexington's 2013 roster is to take a look at Burlington's 2012 roster, with consideration given to the age of players, the highest level they've reached thus far, and their 2012 stats. With that all in mind, here's a few players we can expect to see here in Lexington, along with the highest level they reached last year and their 2012 stats:

Adalberto Mondesi, SS, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 7/27/1995 in Los Angeles, CA

Bats: Both Throws: Right

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 165

Drafted: UFA

2012:

50 games, 232 PA, 35 runs, 60 hits, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 11-13 SB .290 BA, .346 OBP

The son of Raul Mondesi, former Dodgers slugger, had little difficulty adjusting to his first year in pro ball. Keep in mind that he put up those stats as a 16-year-old kid in his first year of pro ball. The only glaring issue was that he struck out far too much, but what more can you ask of a kid that age? All things considered, he had a pretty great year. He will probably start off 2013 in rookie-league ball again, but he has little to prove there. He's just a little young for A ball; that may be the only real problem holding him back. Expect him to head to Burlington to start off the year.

Bryan Brickhouse, RHP, Kane County Cougars (Class A, Midwest League)

Born: 6/6/1992 in The Woodlands, TX

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6' Wt: 195

Drafted: KC Royals, 3^rd round, 2011 MLB Draft

2012:

3-3, 6.62 ERA, 11 games, 11 GS, 53 IP, 55 H, 39 runs allowed, 4 HRA, 26 BB, 41 K, 7 WP

While he had a rough year overall, it was his first year in pro ball and he spent nearly all of it in A ball. He registered his share of strikeouts, but walked a batter every other inning. Add to that seven WP and 4 hit batters, and you've got enough to work on for awhile. He's 21 on Opening Day, so he could start off in Rookie ball, but I don't expect that to be a long-term assignment. He's still age-appropriate for rookie-league ball, and assuming he advances to Class A ball this year he'll still be on-track age-wise.

Bubba Starling, OF, Burlington Royals (Rookie, Appalachian League)

Born: 8/3/1992 in Gardner, KS

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 180

Drafted: KC Royals, 1^st round, 2011 MLB Draft

2012:

53 games, 232 PA, 35 R, 55 H, 8 2B, 10 HR, 33 RBI, 10-11 SB, .275 BA, .371 OBP, .485 SLG

For the moderately-involved baseball fan, Starling needs no introduction. This kid is now the top prospect in the Royals system, now that Wil Myers is with TB. With size, strength and easy projectability, Starling has power and speed which have already manifested themselves. While he did strike out 70 times last year, it was his first year of pro ball and he did manage to draw 28 walks, ending with an excellent .371 OBP and .856 OPS. This is the kind of batter who projects to hit cleanup and could be a perennial 100-RBI man in The Show, with 25+ homers and 15-20 steals. Of course, there's a lot of baseball to be played before he gets there.

Ethan Chapman, CF, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 1/5/1990 in Upland, CA

Bats: Left Throws: Right

Ht: 6' Wt: 180

Drafted: KC Royals, 30^th round, 2012 MLB Draft

2012:

67 games, 318 PA, 58 R, 88 H, 9 2B, 9 3B, 1 HR, 29 RBI, 25-32 SB, 32 BB, 43 SO, .313 BA, .383 OBP, .803 OPS, 12 OF assists in 141 total chances (67 G)

Here's a kid you may not know about. I have to admit; I didn't know a thing about him. Judging by his first season, we may be hearing a lot more about him. Yes, he was 22 in 2012, and yeah, that's older than much of his competition, but don't write off the numbers because of that. Should rack up a lot of extra-base hits from gap power and plus speed, and already shows a very good eye at the plate, so he's looking like a protypical table-setter; batting in the 2-slot sounds like a good fit for him. Expect him to start the 2013 season in Lexington.

John Lamb, RHP, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 7/10/1990 in La Palma, CA

Bats: Left Throws: Left

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 200

Drafted: KC Royals, 5^th round, 2008 MLB Draft

2012:

6 games, 6 starts, 6.92 ERA, 13 IP, 15 HA, 10 ER, 2 HRA, 4 BB, 14 K, 1 WP

Despite injury concerns and Tommy John surgery in 2012, Lamb is still considered one of KC's top prospects and is now pitching in Spring Training with no restrictions. Ranked as the 18^th best prospect as recently as 2011, the greatest challenge now facing him is remaining healthy. When he finally hits his stride, he's really going to be something to watch. He seems to be a level-headed kid with strong ties to his family and friends, and could end up being quite popular in KC. I expect to see him here in Lexington for some tune-up work before he goes back to Class AA; he had reached NW Arkansas as soon as 2010, posting a 3.09 ERA there in 2011 in 8 starts.

Nicholas Cuckovich, 3B-LF, Idaho Falls Chukars (Rookie, Pioneer League)

Born: 10/8/1991 in Riverside, CA

Bats: Right Throws: Right

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 200

Drafted: KC Royals, 17^th round, 2011 MLB Draft

2012:

66 games, 288 PA, 44 R, 69 H, 12 2B, 8 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 9-11 SB, 33 BB, 68 SO, .280 BA, .376 OBP, .807 OPS

He had a strong showing in Idaho Falls, demonstrating gap power and avg-plus speed. It doesn't hurt that his OBP was 96 points higher than his BA, indicative of a sound eye and good patience at the plate. In 43 games at third base last year he made 15 errors, which is certainly not good. It's especially bad because third seems to be where he's going to be playing in the near future, so there's going to have to be some work done, there. With his speed, he could end up becoming a left fielder with plus range if KC needs a Plan B. Could develop average power, but lower limits of his hitting ceiling ought to be the kind of hitter who would bat #2 or at least #7 with relative ease. He should start the year at Lexington, given his age and the fact that he has nothing left to prove in rookie ball. 

That's all for now. More to come as I dig a little deeper for info on the new kids on our block. 

Former Houston Prospect Jason Chowning Works Out For Brewers

Threw Today For Team Reps, Decision To Come Next Week


FEB 6th, 2013-Former Lexington Legend and Lancaster Jethawk RHP Jason Chowning threw off the mound for team representatives from the Milwaukee Brewers today, bidding to return to professional baseball.

Chowning last pitched for the High-A Jethawks in 2012 before arm troubles led to his release by the Astros. Milwaukee has been in contact with the former Astros prospect since October of last year, setting up the throwing session today through one of Chowning's former coaches.

"Went good...threw real well. (Got my) fingers crossed. Arm feels good; I'm ready to go", said Chowning, who also posted to his Facebook account concerning today's workout.

I'll be posting updates on this as they become available. I'm definitely one of many pulling for him. 

Astros IF Alex Todd Retires

Cites Growing Unhappiness with Part-Time Role

JAN 30^th, 2013-As mentioned on Jayne Hansen's site WTH Bobby?, Houston Astros minor-league IF Alex Todd has chosen to retire from the pro ranks. This came as quite a shock to me (and, as I'm sure, to a number of other Astros fans), until I spoke to him about his decision.

“It was just time...I didn't want my hatred of not playing everyday to ruin my love of the game”, Alex told me. “I'm working for a start-up doing sales and finishing up my degree (now)”, he added.

“(Things are) not all planned out, but I'm excited about it”.

Say what you will about his decision; you have to respect that the game means enough to him that he's willing to abandon this dream in order to follow another.

Alex was a 27^th round pick by the Astros in 2011, reaching Class A+ Lancaster last season. He never played more than 54 games for any one team, and totaled only 76 games in 2012 between Class A Lexington and the aforementioned Lancaster squad. For his career, he batted .260 with 5 homers, 47 RBI, 25 doubles and 71 runs scored in 125 total games played. 

KC To Pickup PDC With Lexington...Possibly, Perhaps, Maybe

SEPT 17th, 2012-Following up on yesterday's post regarding Lexington's break-up with Houston (long-distance relationships can be tough; let's be fair), news out of Illinois and the Midwest League could have bearing on the future of the Legends and perhaps even professional baseball in Central Kentucky. Please keep in mind that I am speculating here. I am not Nostradamus, I have never claimed to be Nostradamus, and therefore I could be way off-base. But that's OK; I've been wrong, from time to time. 

As reported by the Peoria Journal-Star:

All 30 Major League teams have standard PDCs with all their affiliates. The contract lengths typically are two or four seasons and expire after even-numbered calendar years. The Cougars' contract with the Kansas City Royals also expires at the end of this season.(emphasis added by yours truly)

Here's why that matters:

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on August 21st that the Chicago Cubs are planning to end their affiliation with the Peoria Cubs, their Class A affiliate in the Midwest League. The fact that either Peoria, Chicago or both could be fined six figures for discussing new PDCs with other teams before the September deadline notwithstanding, it's appearing more and more like this will happen. 

Meanwhile, in Kane County, their affiliation with Kansas City is ending as well. There have been rumors among Kane County fans that Peoria and Kane County would end up switching major league affiliations...

BUT...

While Lexington is also without an affiliation, they would appear to be in the mix to become KC's next Class A affiliate (at least on the surface). One problem with KC coming to Lexington (leaving Kane County without a parent club) is that Kane County has been a big draw at the gates, historically. Last year they AVERAGED 6,000 per game, and all things being equal it's reasonably logical to assume that they won't come close to those numbers in Lexington. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but baseball just doesn't seem to be the draw in Lexington that it is in places like, oh, say Kane County?

Another thought: with the Reds and Cardinals both bordering Kentucky, this has always seemed to be National League country. Kansas City would not only be moving it's Low-A affiliate farther away, it would also be sending them straight to the front-line of a century-long pissing contest between Cincy and St Louis fans, where they would likely end up being non-combatant casualties. That's kind of a long, meandering way of saying that they'd take a pretty big hit in gate receipts and merchandising as compared to what they were bringing in while playing in Kane County. 

Of course, there are tons of Cards fans in Illinois as well. But I digress...

I guess the thing about minor league baseball and parent club affiliations is this: it doesn't really seem to matter much in the long run who your team is ultimately sending prospects to. If you've got a strong front office, good field staff and an effective promotions department, you're gonna sell tickets. You're also going to sell hats, t-shirts, cards, pennants, souvenir bats and balls, etc. If I had the last say in what organization ended up signing a new PDC with Lexington, I'd probably say that Cincinnati would make the most sense. But that's in a perfect world, and this isn't a perfect world. If it was, the Cubs would still have fans who remember what it was like to see the World Series trophy hoisted triumphantly in The Friendly Confines in ANY other environment than one involving an overpriced gaming system, a 60" flat-screen and a pile of pizza boxes housing a young middle-class family of cockroaches. 

Time will tell who ultimately comes here and adopts Lexington as their new Class-A. Until then, I'm liable to spout any number of ridiculous theories as to who it will be. You've been warned. 

Lexington Legends Lose PDC With Houston Astros

SEPT 16th, 2012-According to a source with direct knowledge of the team's day-to-day operations, the Class A Lexington Legends, the Houston Astros affiliate in the South Atlantic League since their founding in 2001, will no longer be affiliated with the Astros when the 2013 season begins.

Although there is no indication as to what organization will sign a Player Development Contract with Lexington as of yet, there could very well be deal in the works as we speak. As for the team's fans, rumors abound as to who could be the new parent club, with Toronto, NY (NL), St. Louis, and Kansas City thought to be the leading candidates.

More news to come; I'll keep you posted. 

Green Diamonds: Chan Moon, SS, Lancaster JetHawks (Class A+, California League)

Name: Chan Jong Moon

Bats: Both Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 160 lb.
DOB: March 23, 1991 in Seoul, KR (Age 21)

Drafted: Signed by the Houston Astros as a minor-league free agent 9/25/2009 for $350,000

STATS:


2011 Season (Greeneville, Rookie League) 43 G, 160 PA, 3 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 51 K, .207 BA, .302 OBP
2012 Season (Lexington, Class A; Lancaster, Class A+) 44 G, 171 PA, 20 R, 8 2B, 22 RBI, 6-9 SB,
.268 BA, .358 OBP

Introduction: This young infielder has made for himself quite a following here in Lexington without even trying. Cries of “MOOOOOOOON!” follow him on his every at-bat, and whenever he makes even a modestly difficult play in the field the case is invariably the same. I understand it is the custom in Korea to refer to a man by his last name (i.e. Moon Chan Jong), so there's a little something you might not have known :) Shy and quiet but always very polite and smiling, he was a real pleasure to watch on the diamond as well as to meet in person.

Batting: Moon has a somewhat wider-than-shoulder-width stance, keeping his weight back slightly and his hands high. There's a slight crouch and he is footwork is sure. There is a little twirl-type movement in his bat, but nothing excessive. In some ways, his stance is very similar to that of OF Jordan Scott (for those of you who've seen him play). He does drop his hands back as well as shifting his weight back slightly more before his swing (a timing mechanism), and lets fly with what appears to be a pretty big swing, but the whole thing looks very well-controlled. It's not a wild or blind swing, at all, but all of this together sometimes contributes to it being a long swing. This swing appears slightly slower and longer from the left side, but I would expect the team to work with him to increase his contact percentage from the left side as he gets out of the box so quickly and this will help to maximize his quickness and produce more infield hits. He keeps his head in well, covers the whole plate easily and has a very level swing. The biggest problem I see is that he could stand to shorten up a bit more on 2-strike counts and perhaps choke up a hair for more bat head control. Being able to improve in that regard would make him perfect as a #8 or even #2 hitter. Other than that, it's a pretty textbook swing. He has what some aficionados of Asian baseball would call an Asian-style swing, and that's a good thing; hitters in many leagues in the Pacific Rim and Mainland Asian countries are taught to think “contact first”, and that's the approach you see when Moon is at the plate. On his follow-through, he can really twist himself into a corkscrew when he misses. This lends itself to the impression that he's swinging for the fences, but I don't see it. He's deft with a bunt, and can become a good push-bunter with time. He's already comfortable with it, and that will only improve with time. He gets out of the box quickly, but shortening his follow-through could definitely help him in that regard. I think he could stand to gain more upper-body and core strength, but the flexibility and reflexes are already there in abundance. He's not ever going to be much on power, but he'll make consistent contact and throw in a handful of extra-base hits and steals, and that ain't bad.

An excellent play leaves 2B Delino Deshields Jr stunned

Fielding: Moon is, in my estimation, already a plus fielder. He gets everything in range and makes some plays on the other side of second, as well. He has soft hands, fluid mechanics getting to and fielding the ball, and a sure arm. The arm strength is there for short, but as he will probably play a bit more third in the future I'd say he'd probably be only fringe-average for that position, arm-wise. Moon is the kind of gloveman you could put at short, second or third and expect at least average or better results, overall. I've never seen him at first, but somehow I don't think that would take him long to get used to. At short, he's already a spark-plug kind of fielder, making all the sure plays and diving for every ball he thinks he has even a small chance of reaching. He stands in well against a sliding base-runner and throws well on the DP, though he could stand to get a little more force behind his throws in these situations. He starts the double play quickly and confidently, and keeps his head when he has to make his own call on where to throw (multiple base-runners, late-inning situations). Don't be surprised to see him emerge from a cloud of dust with a ball you didn't expect to see. Some of the best plays I've seen in the IF this year were plays Moon was directly involved in, and I expect that will be the case at whatever level he finds himself. If I were a major league owner, I'd be comfortable with his glove in my lineup, right now. That's how much faith I have in this kid. Of course, there's the aforementioned arm strength that I'd like to see improve, but otherwise he's not going to have much trouble defensively while climbing the ladder.

Baserunning: Moon seems to be a smart but conservative base-runner, who can steal the odd base for you but usually isn't called upon to do so. He seems to rely more on base-running smarts than pure speed. Mind you, he's no base-jammer, but he's certainly not a dyed-in-the-wool base-stealer, either. He thus far appears to have at least average speed, and things progressing as they should might steal 10 or 12 for you in the ML, but will probably be given the green light in low-risk situations. Even so, he doesn't hurt himself or the team on the bases. He can take the extra base if necessary but won't likely be asked to do so unless (again) it's a low-risk situation. The base-running instincts, to me, are definitely above-average for his age, and will only get better as time goes by. Moon thinks out there; he doesn't do anything recklessly. He's confident in advancing in passed ball/wild pitch situations, and won't often make a bad call there. He will sometimes surprise you with his selective aggressiveness, which only helps his cause.

Looking on

Cracking up OF Justin Gominsky

Intangibles: For being such a shy kid when you meet him face-to-face (at times), Moon is actually known for being a bit of a jokester in the clubhouse. He is often seen making his teammates laugh and he seems to keep things loose in the dugout, as well. He's not undisciplined by any stretch, but he knows that he's getting paid to play a kid's game, and he's very aware of how fortunate he happens to be. He truly seems to enjoy the game and all aspects of it; he just seems so happy to be here, as cliché as it may sound. It's refreshing to see players at this level who aren't overcome by the pressure of having to perform and moving up the chain, and Moon is one of those players. He communicates well in the field with his keystone compatriot, and is always aware of where he is and the game situation involved. He is always ready for the cut-off throw, and he knows exactly where to go with it when it comes. His baseball IQ is definitely high. He will, at times, let a bad play get to him a bit, though this isn't overly obvious. He is, however, usually quick to bounce back, and doesn't often let a bad play in the field affect him when he comes to bat. He's the kind of player who will be well-liked in the clubhouse wherever he goes, and should fit into most any collection of teammates. That can only help him as he advances ever closer to Houston.

A little glove love from righty Jonas Dufek

Overall: I like most everything I see in this kid. There are some things I'd like to see improve (upper-body/core strength, shorter swing especially from the left side, don't get discouraged too easily, greater confidence), but these are all things that should come with time. At bat, he's going to be a prototypical middle infielder (no power, plus-average contact), but with the glove he could well carry himself into, at the least, a utility infield spot with starts two to three times a week, and that's not so bad is it? Kind of an Adam Kennedy-type with a bit less pop and perhaps a better glove. A smart ownership will want him on their club for reasons that extend beyond his play on the field, because his clubhouse presence is a plus, too. With a little more confidence, you've got a switch-hitting, versatile gloveman, plus he could be a leader both on and off the field, and in ways that you won't read about in the box score. Put the whole package together, and you've got yourself a kid who's gonna make it. I can't wait to see how far he goes.